BH90210 1.21, Spring Dance: This is Why I Don’t Miss High School

Summary: Steve’s very excited that it’s spring. The two of them ogle a girl named Darla, putting on x-ray glasses. Steve’s determined to go to the spring dance with Darla, then hook up with her in a room at the hotel where the dance is being held. David announces the four girls chosen as spring princesses; Kelly’s one of them. Andrea tells Brandon that Kelly’s the first spring princess she’s ever known. She tries to dig for information on Brandon’s plans for the dance, but he says he’s not going. Andrea rants about how stupid dances are, though she obviously wants to go with him.

Steve flirts with Darla (“Steve Sanders. We say hi a lot”) and asks her to the dance. She tells him she won’t ride in his Corvette. Brenda asks Andrea if Brandon asked her to the dance, then encourages her to do the asking. Andrea says they might just hang out together that night. After school, Kelly drops by the Peach Pit and admits to Brandon that she doesn’t have a date to the dance. He’s the only guy she’d consider going with. He’s uncertain about going, but Kelly promises that they’ll have a good time.

Steve arrives and Kelly tells him she’s going to the dance with Brandon. “Brandon who?” he asks. Brandon tells Steve to ask Donna and double-date with them. The next day, Steve does so, and Donna hesitantly accepts. Kelly wants a limo for the dance, since she’s a spring princess, but Brandon can’t afford one. She tells him Dylan will probably pay for one. Andrea asks Brandon about their plans for Saturday night, and he tells her he’s going to the dance with Kelly. Shockingly, she’s not happy for him. (I know!)

The next day, Brandon questions why Andrea’s so upset, since she didn’t want to go to the dance anyway. He basically says he’s going with Kelly as a favor. Brandon shops for a rental tux with Steve and Dylan, who mention how expensive everything for the dance will be. Steve mentions that Dylan’s planning to get a hotel room with Brenda, which is definitely not something Brandon wants to hear. Steve warns him that Kelly has a thing for him and “usually gets what she wants.” Kelly and Brenda shop for dresses, picking out the same one; each girl says the other can have it.

The night of the dance, Kelly shows up at the Walshes’ in the dress she supposedly didn’t want. Steve’s obviously jealous to see her with Brandon. Cindy’s surprised to see the dress Kelly’s wearing, because it’s the same one Brenda bought. (Kelly wears it better, by the way.) The girls argue over who gets to wear the dress, and Kelly accuses Brenda of being jealous. She’s worried that people will thing they planned to dress identically.

Andrea eats ice cream and watches a horror movie like all the lonely girls do on Saturday nights. Steve and Kelly snipe at each other as the gang arrives at the dance. Brenda and Kelly snipe at each other next. Dylan tells Brenda that it’s her night, then shows her the key to the hotel room he’s gotten for them. Kelly tries to get Brandon to dance, but he tells her to ask Steve. That’s not going to happen, so Brandon gives in. Steve doesn’t want to dance with Donna either.

David ogles Kelly, betting Scott (who? Oh, yeah) $20 that she’ll dance with him before the end of the night. He does this right in front of his date, by the way. Brenda admits to Dylan that she’s nervous about what they’re planning in their hotel room. She’s ready, but she thinks she’ll disappoint him. He promises her that they won’t be judging each other, they’ll be enjoying each other. She should know how important she is to him since he’s been willing to wait to sleep with her. Dylan solidifies this by telling Brenda he loves her.

Kelly tells Brandon that she’s thought he’s cute since she first met him, and he admits the same about her. She wonders what’s been stopping them from getting together. He notes that she’s Steve’s ex, and Steve’s one of his best friends. She’s also one of Brenda’s best friends. Kelly points out that Dylan’s his best friend’s sister. Brandon realizes he’s out of reasons not to get together with her, and they make out. He stops, saying something doesn’t feel right, and thinks it might be that he knows her too well. Brandon says that Kelly’s like a sister to him, which doesn’t go over well.

A tipsy Steve interrupts, telling Brandon that Kelly might pretend to care about him, but she only cares about herself. Steve’s upset that he was told Brandon and Kelly were going to the dance as friends, but they’re definitely not acting like it. He takes off and Brandon follows him, promising that he’s not going after Kelly. He thinks Steve’s just upset because he’s drunk. Steve says he’s not drunk, then reveals why he’s really upset: It’s his birthday.

Steve tells Brandon that a few months ago, his mother got drunk and told him that she was told she could never have children. He’s adopted, and he didn’t know for almost 17 years. Steve says his mom is the only mother he’s ever known; even if she’s not perfect, she loves him. Brandon notes that everything worked out well for him. Steve tries to tell himself that it doesn’t matter who or where his biological parents are, but it’s hard to be happy around his birthday. He’s upset that he confided all this to Kelly and she doesn’t care. David announces that the spring queen is Kelly. The students then compete in a dance competition (the prizes: pizza and the last dance of the night with the spring king and queen).

Brenda and Dylan head upstairs, and she tells him she’s grateful that her first time having sex will be with someone she loves. At home, inspired by the movie she’s watching, Andrea imagines herself taking a chainsaw to everyone at the dance. Then she asks to borrow her mother’s evening gown. Brandon returns to the dance, telling Kelly about his conversation with Steve and encouraging her to talk to him. She doesn’t want to deal with him when he’s been drinking, but Brandon insists that he needs Kelly. He reminds her that it’s Steve’s birthday, which makes her decide to find him.

Steve tells Kelly that he wanted to be friends with her, but she’s too self-centered. She shoots back that he doesn’t have the best character either. He notes that they have a lot in common. Kelly’s mom is an alcoholic and her dad ditched her. All Steve wanted was for her to say one word to let him know she cares. She insists that she does, not sure what else she can do other than apologize. Steve says he’s sorry, too, and regrets what he said to her. Kelly replies that deep down, he’s just a jerk.

Andrea arrives at the dance and quickly finds Brandon. She admits that she feels dumb for coming, but she also doesn’t want to wake up years from now feeling like she missed out on high school. He tells her she looks beautiful. David’s horribly dorky dancing gets him into the finals of the dance competition. As a very happy Dylan and Brenda get dressed in their room, Brian Austin Green puts down some moves that his child will most likely use against him for the rest of his life. Brenda and Kelly make up, and Kelly realizes just where Brenda was up until now.

David wins the dance competition, which is not at all surprising, since he’s the only character in it we know. He gets pizza, a dance with Kelly, and $20 from Scott. Brandon dances with Andrea. David tells Kelly that she smells as good as he expected her to. Andrea asks Brandon if he thinks she’s a geek for coming to the dance by herself. He notes that they never get to slow dance in the newsroom.

Steve cuts in on David and Kelly, wanting to finish his earlier conversation with his ex. They apologize for being jerks to each other all night. Despite everything they’ve been through, he still loves her and thinks she still loves him. Kelly says she might, but not the way Steve means. Then she pulls Donna in to dance with her date. As the gang gathers around, Kelly lets Andrea wear her crown, and everyone asks where Brenda and Dylan disappeared to. They all agree that tonight was one of the strangest of all time.

Thoughts: Darla is played by Sharon Case, the same actress who was in one of Brandon’s imagine movie scenes in “April is the Cruelest Month.” I only remember her name because she’s now on The Young and the Restless.